January 16 2022

What Have You Done For YOU Lately?

Nico the cat sleeping in a sunbeam

What Have You Done for YOU Lately?

When I was thinking about jumping on the blog to say hi and wondering what we could chat about today, the word EXPECTATION came to mind. I have been learning a lot about expectations lately – the expectations I have of others and more importantly, the expectations I have of myself.

What do you think about when you hear the word EXPECTATION?

The difficulty with expectations is that someone always gets disappointed.  Others are not clear about the expectations we have of them and we are not clear about the expectations they have of us.  Often our expectations are not realistic. Even more often, our expectations of others and ourselves do not match up with what we REALLY want or need.

When I think of the word EXPECTATION, the phrase, “What have you done for me lately?” comes to mind. Have you ever thought this about someone else or heard that question (directly or indirectly) from someone who had expectations of you?

Today I want to speak specifically to those of us who get caught up believing that we need to meet the needs of everyone else first.

Today I want to ask, “What have you done for YOU lately?”

Society talks a lot about self-care.  Self-care, in the way it is often presented, brings up images of bubble baths and chocolate.  I want to tell you that self-care is WAY bigger than that.

I am not saying it cannot include bubble baths and chocolate, but self-care also includes pressing in and making a conscious decision to do the hard thing. 

Self-care is committing to moving your body everyday – getting outside and getting 15 minutes of fresh air –choosing to fuel your body with nutritious food, rather than always reaching for the “comfort food”- and getting enough sleep.

Self-care is committing to opening up your Bible or your devotional book every day and spending time listening to what the Lord has to say to you.

Self-care is committing to taking time for you- having the half hour nap, sitting with that book you have been waiting to read, or taking a cue from the kitty cat and just sitting quietly in the sunbeam that is currently coming in your living room window.

Self-care is taking the time to find the things that you enjoy – the things that fill your cup and replenish you.  Is it art, crafts, music, activity, time with friends, time alone, challenging your brain with puzzles and problem solving activities, being outside, being inside, giving, serving, excepting help from others. Then doing those things regularly.

Self-care is making the phone call, clearing up the misunderstanding, choosing to forgive, or choosing to let go.

Self-care is making time.  Making time to care for some of your own needs.  Making time to allow Jesus to care for those needs that only He can care for.  Stepping back and letting others learn to care for some of those needs that they need to be caring for themselves, looking to Jesus to care for or allowing someone other than you to care for.

What have you done for YOU lately?

This does not and should not be difficult or arduous – we make it difficult by making it complicated.

It does not mean you cannot have the cookie when you are hungry- but you if you had a couple of apples and some cheese already cut up in the fridge, when you got hungry and were strapped for time, you could reach for that as well as the cookie – so the cookie stays at one instead of 5.

You do not have to get a gym membership or join a workout program.  But, if you stepped out into the fresh air for 15 minute every day and just moved your body you would notice a difference over time.

You do not have to commit to reading the Bible in a year.  But, if you sit with Jesus for a few minutes each day, read His word, and listen to His voice, as you develop that relationship, you will want more and more.

Have a nap, read a book, crochet, sit and close your eyes and enjoy the sunbeam. 

Something else will have to be left undone.  Yes, undone.  That is the whole point. 

If we were ALL doing this – meeting some of our own needs and looking to Jesus to meet our needs, then we would not have others clamouring for our attention all the time and we would not be clamouring for their attention.  The balance would come. 

In the meantime, you will learn to look away from the dishes that are still in the sink and the dust on the mantle and clothes that are still not folded.  You will learn to say to the voices clamouring for your attention – “I’ll be back in half an hour –I just need a few minutes.”  They will survive, you will survive, and we will all learn.

Our expectations will change – slowly, overtime.

What have you done for YOU lately?

It is the beginning of a new week – are you ready to choose a new way of thinking?

Pop in the comments and tell me how you are doing- what types of things you are doing for yourself today and the challenges to making that shift in the way you think and do. I always love to hear from you!

I am off to sit in the sunbeam with Nico the kitty cat!

January 1 2021

A New Year, A New Mindset

 

Welcome to 2021! What if we started the new year with a new way of thinking? What if we threw out our old mindset and made a switch? What if we made a choice to think differently and to behave differently? What if?

 

Today is not only a new day but also the beginning of a brand new year. A year we have not yet encountered or experienced. You woke up in the land of the living this morning – that in itself is a gift and an opportunity. What if, this morning, as you stood to your feet, you lifted up your hands and your voice toward the Lord and thanked Him, sincerely thanked Him for where He has brought you from and what He has brought you too? What if you did that every morning?

 

What if, you made a decision to paint a new picture this year? What if, you decided to operate from a new perspective? What if, you choose to live by truth rather than by feelings? What if, you made a decision to really prioritize your life so that your relationship with your Creator was at the VERY top? What if, you made up in your mind to stop running hard after things that are temporal and began running hard after things that are eternal?

 

Perspective is everything. Mindset supports your perspective! What you believe forms the picture of your life that you will live out in 2021.

 

What does that picture look like this year?

 

Take the time today to sit with the Father. Sit quietly and really listen to His heart for you and for those around you and for that outside of your direct sphere of influence. What does He have to share with you on this, the first day of a brand new year, the first day of a brand new opportunity?

 

And then, start loading that new mindset.

 

And then, go out and start living all that 2021 has!

 

A year, in and of itself, should not and need not dictate how we feel, function or operate. A year should and be under the control of the mindset we possess.

 

What mindset do you possess?

 

How is that working for you?

 

What do you plan to do about it?

 

It starts in your mind!

 

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” Romans 12: 1-2

December 28 2020

Finish Strong

FINISH STRONG

There are only 4 more sleeps left in 2020!  This year I’ve talked a lot about being intentional. So, here is one last assignment before the end of the year.  What do you have to do in the remaining 4 days of 2020 to intentionally finish strong? 

To begin, we need to talk about finishing strong.  What does that look like exactly?  What you need to understand is that finishing strong is going to look a little bit different for each one of us, depending on where we have been and where we intend to go. For some, finishing strong may mean finishing up those last few goals, for some it may mean taking some intentional downtime, for others, it may mean look more like working on some relationships, for others, it may mean taking some time to feel the disappointment about things that didn’t work out in 2020 while acknowledging the unexpected graces.  

Step 1- determine what “finishing strong” looks like for you!

Step 2- based on what “finishing strong” looks like to you, decide on 3 items you need to take care of in the next 4 days.

Now it is time to make a plan. Yes, a plan.  I know it is the week in between Christmas and New Years’ – the week we generally move through in a bit of a fog – weary from the holiday preparations, beginning to realize just how much food we actually ate and dealing with the let down of Christmas celebrations. But part of finishing strong is being intentional in these last 4 days of the year. 

Step 3- make a plan.  How will you accomplish these 3 items, in what order, and who will help to keep you accountable? 

Step 4 – make it happen!  There is no time like the present.  Go ahead and get it done.  

Intentionality wasn’t just a buzz word for 2020.  It is a lifestyle choice that I believe we need to continue to grow in, throughout 2021.  Get a head start now. You’ll thank yourself as you enter 2021 with the loose ends tied up from 2020.